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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Put my foot out at dog running

219 replies

AlexForrestBunny · 17/02/2021 15:03

I was out with my 3year old daughter this morning at the field/ children’s park which is a couple of minutes walk from my house, all normal and fairly quiet as the weather isn’t great.
It’s a large enclosed area so there is a mix of people walking their dogs and children playing, all fine - dogs are allowed off their leads and never seen or had issues before today.
My daughter was walking next to me and I had my baby in a carrier on my chest, I heard a man shouting ‘he’s fine, don’t panic’ so I turned to see and there was a large dog running towards us, I like dogs so not one to panic if they jump up or come over to say hello but this dog was pretty big ( husky sort) and was running straight towards my daughter. Now I wasn’t thinking ‘omg it’s a crazed dog going to bite’ it was more ‘shit, it’s going to knock her off her feet running into her to say hello’ , I had the baby on my chest so my reaction was to stand in front of her and as it got upto us I put my foot to the side to stop it jumping on my daughter.
I didn’t kick it, but the guy went crazy saying how dare I touch a friendly dog with my foot, he doesn’t bite and he loves children.
I told him he seems very friendly, he was trying to jump up on a small child so I was stopping my child from being hurt, maybe he should train him not to run at children.
He then started a rant about reporting me to the police for battering a dog and people like me should be on a poster?!
AIBU that my reaction was to put my foot out to a dog?

OP posts:
Thisisconfusing · 17/02/2021 16:59

I am a dog owner ( of a dog who is also friendly and well behaved ) I would never ever let my dog jump up at a small child . If he did I would be absolutely mortified and I wouldn’t blame you for taking such action. 100 per cent he is in the wrong .

ArmchairTraveller · 17/02/2021 16:59

Bunnybigears we are supposed to be social distancing.
Put yourself between your animal and other humans, and keep 2 metres apart.
I’m going to be sorry when that ends, life has been calmer with personal space being respected more.

LJC1234 · 17/02/2021 17:02

This makes me so cross! He was absolutely in the wrong! I am a dog lover and a dog owner and other peoples dogs running at other people is a big bug bear of mine because some people would be genuinely scared in that situation.

Bunnybigears · 17/02/2021 17:02

Bunnybigears we are supposed to be social distancing.
Put yourself between your animal and other humans, and keep 2 metres apart.
I’m going to be sorry when that ends, life has been calmer with personal space being respected more.

There was a life before Covid and there will be one after, not every experience everyone mentions as an example will have happened during the Covid period.

Earlybirdcatches · 17/02/2021 17:03

Yadnbu
What a horrible man.

IsabellaMozzarella · 17/02/2021 17:03

Ffs. I LOVE dogs but why do some dog owners think the world revolves around their dog? You never know if a dog will bite, never can be 100% certain. What if your dd was allergic & you preventing contact? Or terrified? Dog was out of control and you were nbu.

StealthRoast · 17/02/2021 17:04

We have a 5 month old Husky. They are extremely energetic and can look a bit scary to little children ( and some adults ) but I’m surprised he let his dog off the lead in an enclosed area with children, regardless of its breed.

Our boy only goes off lead when training and in remote areas. He is very very friendly and loves dogs and people but there’s a limit to where he should have complete freedom.

I wouldn’t give him another thought op. You did nothing wrong and used your instinct.

Whammyyammy · 17/02/2021 17:05

They say a stern "policeman's stop" is very effective about deterring out of control dogs approaching.

mathanxiety · 17/02/2021 17:08

What a dick.

He shouldn't have had a big dog off lead in an area where there are small children or indeed people in any number.

He'll be spewing entitled bullshit out of the other side of his face when his dog knocks someone over and injures them.

diddl · 17/02/2021 17:08

It doesn't matter how friendly it is if it's about to knock a kid (or anyone) over!

I've nearly been knocked down when a dog has run into the back of my legs-it doesn't take much.

Darkbrownistheriver · 17/02/2021 17:09

I’ve got a small dog - Cairn terror. He may be little, but he’s solid and could still send a small child flying if he ran at them full pelt. Probably an elderly person too tbh.

Adirondack · 17/02/2021 17:09

People who can’t control their dog should not be allowed to own animals. Having a dog run at you as a fully grown adult is terrifying. For a small child, it’s like having a bloody stallion charging at you. And when the owner appears and says ‘don’t worry he’s friendly’ it makes me stabby rageous! I don’t care if fluffikins is your special baby boy, I don’t want him charging at me or my child!

mathanxiety · 17/02/2021 17:09

I hope you go back to the area, OP.

Don't abandon a recreational area that is there for everyone to the bullies.

UnderCaffeinated · 17/02/2021 17:09

What a ridiculous man. For me, your foot isn't the issue here, you were protecting your child from something completely unknown, and responded as you felt appropriate (I don't think it was inappropriate)

He needs to appreciate that not everyone would respond like yourself and if someone is scared of dogs, their instinct might be to kick it away or worse, and he could have a seriously injured dog on his hands through his own ignorance! It's his job as the dogs owner keep the dog safe from harm, and his dog could easily have been harmed in a situation like this.

I have a big dogs (Malamutes) and I appreciate that not everyone will enjoy them as I do, and for people who are scared of dogs they could be considered quite scary, so I keep them on a lead other than our late night walks, when there's very few people about where we go.

So in short, YANBU.

MuthaFunka61 · 17/02/2021 17:10

@Catdogmum.
Yes,I've come across males being oppositional to dog training too. Passive aggressive behaviour takes many forms and unfortunately pets often become a vehicle for this.

GeidiPrimes · 17/02/2021 17:13

I can't see a problem and would have apologised if my dog ran at a child. Men and their bloody Huskies! (beautiful dogs, but I suspect a lot have them because they're a "manly" dog).

Radio4Rocks · 17/02/2021 17:14

Report him for having an out of control dog.

PlanDeRaccordement · 17/02/2021 17:16

YANBU even a tiny bit. I had similar situation except just me and baby in a chest carrier facing outwards. Just out for a walk down a footpath. A dog ran out of its garden that fronted the footpath and pelted towards us. The owner was calling it back, but it was deaf to the calls. I luckily had a walking stick. The dog jumped up at me and it’s jaws snapped centimetres away from my baby’s face. I was shocked the dog at jumped so close and reacted by grabbing the other end of my walking stick and held it as a bar in front of my baby to protect my baby. The owner started screaming that I dare not hit his dog (I wasn’t at all, the dog was jumping into the stick and it’s impossible to be hitting a dog when you’re holding both ends of the walking stick) And I was screaming “dog, get your dog,” the dog was leaping about, jaws snapping and growling. My baby started to howl with fear. Finally the owner got the dog away but kept screaming abuse at me and called me a few racist names and told me to go back to China etc. It was traumatic. And so I have all the sympathy for you and think your maternal instinct was correct. Your child needed you to step in and intercept that dog. And you did it without harming the dog. There is nothing more any owner could have asked for or expected.

dottiedodah · 17/02/2021 17:16

I adore dogs and feel he was totally in the wrong here .My dog is gentle and likes playtime with other sensible similar sized dogs .However one of our walks a lady has a massive unruly dog, and he keeps wanting to play .I explained that my girl would be scared .The woman seemed to tell me I knew nothing at all about dogs (No of course not,only on my 3rd one!)People like this think THEIR dog is OK and would NEVER cause any problem! They need to wake up! Responsible dog owners are aware of the problems and keep them on a lead FFS!

Aneley · 17/02/2021 17:17

I own two big dogs but you definitely NBU. I'd probably would have done the same with a baby on my chest and a toddler next to me. HE may know his dog is friendly - you DON'T and guessing whether a dog is or is not friendly when they're running straight at you is a little too much of a gamble when you have children there.

oil0W0lio · 17/02/2021 17:20

Sounds like he knew his dog shouldn't have been running at you like that so he tried to manipulate the situation so you would think you'd done something wrong
yes he tried to gaslight you
aka front it out
aka 'dogsplain'
since dog owners now have signs on their dogs perhaps humans need t-shirts with 'nervous of dogs, please keep your pet away from me'?

Coconutfatfeast · 17/02/2021 17:21

You did the right thing OP. I hate the arrogance of people like this.

oil0W0lio · 17/02/2021 17:23

@Radio4Rocks

Report him for having an out of control dog.
agree, take a photo of the irresponsible and abusive dog owner and send to authorities every time! bad dog owners give dogs a bad name🤬
Exhausteddog · 17/02/2021 17:28

I was out running last year in quite a quiet footpath beside a railway. A lurcher type dog ran towards me and I hesitated as I am quite nervous of dogs. The owner (about 30m away ) said "don't worry he won't do anything!" and strolled along. Then the dog started crouching and growling and then jumped up at me. It did not hurt but it was still unpleasant. (i'm fine with dogs that I'm familiar with)The owner caught up, reprimanded the dog and said (to me) thank you for standing still.Confused

LST · 17/02/2021 17:31

@madmara

Honestly I would have kicked the dog if I had to prevent him getting to my child.

Even if the dog wouldn't bite, being jumped on could lead to a lifelong fear of dogs.

I think that people shouldn't own dogs that need to be let off the lead in public places for a run about. If you don't have enough of your own land for your dog to get off lead exercise, buy a chihuahua. I don't understand people that refer to themselves as "dog lovers" but are happy to keep big dogs cooped up.

Don't be so ridiculous. Fgs. My collie is fine with his 2 off lead walks a day. Never had any problem with him running up to anything. Dog, human or child. Idiots who get big dogs or small dogs who don't train them properly and then let them off the lead shouldn't own dogs. Of ANY kind.